Hibiscus plant named ‘Adonis Yellow’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Adonis Yellow’, characterized by its upright, mounding and bushy plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; large yellow-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers; and excellent flower longevity.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ADONIS YELLOW’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Adonis Yellow’.

The new Hibiscus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sabro, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new strong Hibiscus plants with attractive and long-lasting flowers.

The new Hibiscus plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Adonis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,592. The new Hibiscus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘Adonis’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark in May, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sabro, Denmark since September, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Adonis Yellow’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Adonis Yellow’ as a new and distinct Hibiscus plant:

-   -   1. Upright, mounding and bushy plant habit.     -   2. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large yellow-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers.     -   5. Excellent flower longevity.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Adonis’. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ primarily from plants of ‘Adonis’ in flower bud and petal color as of plants of ‘Adonis’ have red purple-colored flower buds and petals.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Boreas Yellow’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,060. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Sabro, Denmark, plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of ‘Boreas Yellow’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Hibiscus were more ovate to         cordate in shape and darker in color than leaves of plants of         ‘Boreas Yellow’.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and ‘Boreas Yellow’ differed in         stigma color.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Hibiscus lasted about three to         four days whereas flowers of plants of ‘Boreas Yellow’ lasted         four to five days.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Adonis Yellow’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Adonis Yellow’.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of typical developing flower buds and a typical open flower of ‘Adonis Yellow’.

The photograph on the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical dissected flower of ‘Adonis Yellow’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 13-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Sabro, Denmark and under environmental conditions and cultural practices which closely approximate commercial Hibiscus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 21° C. and light levels ranged from 40 to 50 klux. Plants were pinched one time about eight to nine weeks after planting and plants were 21 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Adonis Yellow’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Hibiscus     rosa-sinensis ‘Adonis’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,592. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four weeks at             temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About eight             weeks at temperatures about 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About nine             weeks at temperatures about 24° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fleshy; color, close             to 158A.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, mounding and bushy plant             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with usually about             four to six lateral branches developing per plant; pinching             enhances lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 35 cm to 55 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm to 50 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 15 cm to 25 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm to 6 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 5 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Woody.         -   Color.—Close to N199A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, single; numerous.         -   Length.—About 8 cm to 12 cm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm to 8 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate to cordate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous; venation slightly             prominent.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Scattered pubescence; venation             prominent.         -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A; venation,             close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137A; venation, close to 147B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 cm to 5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 147A and N199B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146A and N199B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged singly at terminal leaf             axils; uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit with             numerous flower buds and open flowers per plant at one time;             flowers face mostly upright to slightly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower in the garden during             the spring and summer or during periods of warm weather; in             the greenhouse, plants can be flowered year-round; plants             begin flowering about ten to twelve weeks after pinching.         -   Flower longevity.—Excellent flower longevity, flowers last             for about three to four days; flowers persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 16 cm to 19 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 8 cm to 9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Rate of opening: Flowers buds open in about two             to three days. Length: About 7 cm to 8 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 cm to 3.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to lanceolate. Color: Close             to 10A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five imbricate petals in a single             whorl. Length: About 8 cm to 10 cm. Width: About 8 cm to             9 cm. Shape: Fan-shaped. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate.             Margin: Entire, slightly undulate. Texture, upper surface:             Glabrous, rugose; slightly prominent venation. Texture,             lower surface: Glabrous, rugose; prominent venation. Luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Matte. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 8B; towards the base, close to 46B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 9D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 12A to 12B; towards the base, close to             53A; with development, colors becoming closer to 14B and             closer to 59A towards the base. Fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 11A; with development, color becoming closer to             14C.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a             campanulate-shaped calyx. Length: About 3 cm to 3.5 cm.             Width: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:             Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Rugose,             pubescent; prominent venation. Texture, lower surface:             Pubescent; recessed venation. Color, upper surface: Close to             143B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 3             mm to 4 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Sparsely pubescent.             Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             about 100. Filament length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Filament             color: Close to 11D. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length:             About 1 mm to 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 19A. Amount of             pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 17B. Gynoecium:             Pistil length: About 8 cm to 10 cm. Style length: About 7 cm             to 9 cm. Style texture: Smooth, waxy. Style color: Close to             2D. Stigma appearance: Five-parted, rounded. Stigma color:             Close to 16D. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds.—Quantity produced per flower: About 1 to 20. Length:             About 4 mm to 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm to 4 mm. Color:             Close to 202A. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed     to have tolerate temperatures from about 1° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hibiscus     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Adonis Yellow’ as illustrated and described. 